“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 10:17) KJV

Faith: the First Requirement to Behold the Power of God

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Heb. 11:6)

I have seen the Lord perform many miracles.

I have beheld demons come out of tormented individuals. I have seen the Lord cause a shortened leg to grow and lengthen so that the afflicted young boy no longer had to wear a corrective shoe.

I have seen the mute to speak, the blind to see, and the dead raised to life again.

But I have also seen situations remain the same for unexplained reasons no matter how much prayer was made.

It is God who performs His will and not ours. God has only asked that we are willing to provide ourselves as a vessel through which He might work.

Contained in the Scriptures are the requirements that God has for those servants of His through whom He will choose to work His miraculous power.

These are the servants of the Lord who will see the impossible become possible in the last days and will experience the miraculous glory of God.

“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Rev. 22:17)

“And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” (Dan. 11:32)

The Bible teaches that there are two types of miracles that can be received from God.

There is the miracle that God gives because of the faith of the one needing the miracle, and then there is the miracle given by God because of the faith of someone who is ministering to or praying for someone else.

Sometimes the faith of the person needing the miracle is so strong that God will give it in spite of the wrongful circumstances surrounding the miracle.

“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Mat. 7:22-23)

In this passage of Scripture God rewarded the faith of those needing the miracles in spite of the wicked hearts of those proclaiming to perform the miracles.

And then there are times when God rewards the faith of those bringing someone before Him who needs a miracle even though the one needing the miracle may have no faith at all.

“And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” (Mark 2:4-5)

“And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.” (Mark 2:12)

In this instance the Lord saw the faith of the men who were willing to tear a hole in the roof and let their sick friend down on ropes to be healed by Jesus.

These men had no doubt in the love, mercy, and power of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Bible says that when Jesus saw their faith, He then forgave the sinner of his sins and miraculously healed his disabled body.

There are several keys that unlock the door through which a miracle can enter, but there is only one door through which a miracle of God can come, and that is the door of faith.

Faith is the foundational requirement for a miracle from God upon which everything else is based.

There are some instances, such as in the Book of Genesis, in the beginning, when God’s faith alone is all that is needed to create the miracle. God can do anything. He is God.

“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” (Heb. 11:3)

However, when mankind fell and unbelief entered into the world, it began to affect the faith of God.

Although unbelief cannot negate the faith of God,

“For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar…” (Rom 3:3-4)

Unbelief can, however, hinder the faith of God.

“And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.” (Mat 13:57-58)

That is why God has deposited His faith in the hearts of His children so that when His children believe and redeposit that faith back in Him; together with His faith it becomes multiplied.

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20)

“Again I say unto you, That iftwo of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Mat. 18:19-20)

In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke we read of the time when Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead.

When Jesus entered into the house and declared the girl was not dead but only sleeping, the mourners and doubters laughed Him to scorn.

But Jesus put them out of the house and took only the girl’s parents, Peter, James, and John into the room with him.

Jesus took only those who believed with Him into the room. Their faith joined with His and the girl was restored back to life.

“While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.” (Luke 8:49-50)

“And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth.” (Luke 8:51-52)

“And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.” (Luke 8:53-55)

It is not our faith, but it is God’s faith that He has put within us.

And there is only one direction for the redeposit of that faith, and that is back in God.

It is not whether we can believe enough that a miracle can happen, but it is whether we believe enough that God is able to do it and that it is His will to do it.

“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” (Mar 9:23-24)

This is having faith in the love, the power, and the will of God to such a degree that we are able to believe and not doubt.

This involves the faith that comes from hearing God and knowing the word of God.

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 10:17)

Tomorrow– The Miraculous Faith of Abraham

“How to Walk in the Miracles of God” by Raymond Candy. Available for $2.99 at bn.com for the Nook, amazon.com for the Kindle, and Lulu.com for the PC, iPad, and all other e-reading devices